What is E911?

Enhanced 911, or E911, is an enhanced version of a typical Caller ID system. The difference between Enhanced 911 and regular Caller ID is the amount of information provided to dispatchers when you call 911. Regular Caller ID provides the caller's name and phone number. Enhanced 911 displays the caller's name, phone number, and address. It also keeps numbers from being blocked, even if they are unlisted. This is often useful in times of fires, break-ins, kidnapping, and other events where communicating one's location is difficult or impossible.  Having the location immediately displayed on each 911 call allows the dispatcher to quickly confirm the location where help is needed. The sooner the dispatchers can verify a location, the sooner they can send help to you.   Enhanced 911 is currently deployed in most metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada.  Enhanced 911 also involves Selective Routing, whereby the 911 call is routed to the appropriate PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) based on the caller’s physical location.  Each telephone number and the physical location to which it corresponds are stored in an ALI (Automatic Location Identification) database, managed by the local carrier. In a 911 call, the PSAP uses the telephone number to retrieve the caller’s physical address from the ALI database.

What is a PSAP?

The final destination of an E911 call (where the 911 operator sits) is a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). When a call comes in, the emergency operator either automatically receives the caller's location and callback info, or requests it from the person who called. Then, they alert the appropriate emergency response team (fire, police, or ambulance) and stay on the line until help arrives. PSAPs are generally controlled at the city or county level.

With traditional phone service, each telephone number is tied to the phone line’s physical location. Since the phone number is static, location information only has to be entered into the ALI database once. IP phones and softphones, on the other hand, are nomadic: they work from anywhere with connectivity to the internet or to the company network. A VoIP phone could move from Florida to New York, for instance, and still keep its Florida telephone number. This poses problems for call routing, as 911 calls will go to the Florida PSAP rather than to the PSAP closest to the caller’s actual location in New York. It also means that the location last associated with the VoIP number in the ALI database may not reflect the phone’s current whereabouts.

VOIP emergency information isn't automatically linked to your physical address; that's something you have to enter into the system. If you move your phone, you're also changing your emergency information and if you don't update your account, 911 emergency operators will receive the wrong information when you call.
To update your emergency information, please notify PressONE support and allow 24 business hours for the update to be completed.  Please email helpdesk@pressone.net with your callerID and your new physical address.
Be advised that, depending on where you travel, 911 service may not be available, or it might not be equipped to accept all of your E911 information.

If the power goes out, the equipment that brings broadband into your house and distributes if for use by a computer, voip phone, or online-enabled gaming system won't work. If you can't access your broadband connection, your voip phone will not be functional, including your ability to dial 911. 
Here are some things you can do to make sure you have access to 911 when you need it:
• Purchase and install an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). This device stores backup battery power that your broadband devices can use if the power goes out. There is a limit to how long the backup power will last, so keep that in mind when choosing a UPS.
• Use your landline to call 911. If you have a secondary phone line from your local phone company, you can use that to call 911, even if the power is out. This is a good option for those voip users whose DSL internet provider is also the local phone company; in many cases, they require a basic phone line along with the high-speed internet access.
• Your cell phone can also be used to call 911 in an emergency. Many newer phones also have GPS tracking features that can be enabled. Check with your wireless phone service provider for more details.

PressONE will be collecting a fee of $1.95 for each separate number loaded into e911. 

How can I change my 911 information?

When you first become a PressONE client, we will ask you for your initial e911 location. If you need to change that information, please email helpdesk@pressone.net with your callerID and your new physical address, and allow 24 hours for the update to be confirmed.